Safety apparatus for oil-tanks



(No Model.) I

L. GRISOOM. Safety'Apparatus for Oil Tanks,

Patented Jan. 4, 1881.

I/ m Vi/ m n MOTH/5858:

N.FE[ERS, PHOTO-UTHOBRAFHER. WAsmNGToM. n c,

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS GRISGOM, OF POTTSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY APPARATUS FOR OIL-TANKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 236,325, dated January4, 1881.

A Application filed September 14, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LEWIS GRISGOM, a citizenof the United States, residing in Pottsville, Schuylkill county,Pennsylvania, have invented a Safety Apparatus for Oil-Tanks, of whichthe following is a specification.

The ohjectof my invention is to prevent the explosion of tankscontaining petroleum and other inflammable liquids-an object I attain inthe manner which I am about to describe, reference hein g had to theaceom pan yin g d rawings, in whioh- Figure l is a view of apetroleum-tank provided with my improved safety apparatus; Fig. 2. avertical section of part of Fi 1 drawn to an enlarged scale, and Fig. 3a view illustrating a modification of my invention.

It may be stated, in the first instance. that ordinary tanks for thestorage of petroleum are usually so roofed over at the top that thegases can escape at the upper edge of the tank below the roof.

The explosion of oil-tanks and the destruction of their contents is ofalmost daily occurrence in the oil-regions, these accidents being due tothe action of lightning, to the exposure of lights within range of theescaping gases, to sparks from locomotives, to tires in the woods, etc.

In carrying out my invention, the first essential is, that the tank Amust be so closed that there can be none of the usual escape of gasesexcepting through the outlet-pipe B, which is made to serve the purposeof a safety apparatus in the manner best observed in the enlarged view,Fig. 2.

The pipe B is provided with one or more diaphragms, a a, of wire-gauzeor finely-perforated plate, through which the gases emanating from thetank must pass. 111 most cases I propose to use 'two or more diaphragmsplaced at intervals apart.

In'order that the diaphragm or diaphragms may be properly secured withinthe safety- A pipe, Iprefer to make the latter in flanged sections, asshown, each diaphragm being secured between the flange of one sectionand that of an adjoining section.

Should the escaping gas from the pipe B become ignited the flame cannotpass downward through .the diaphragms of wire-gauze- But the pipe anddiaphragms might be so heated by 'the flame as to cause an explosion ofthe gases; hence I fit the safety-pipe B with a section or sections, b,of non-conducting inaterialsuch, for instance, as a tube of bakedfire-clayso that'the heat of the flame cannot be communicated to thepipe and its diaphragms.

The safety-pipe, instead of extending upward from the top of the tank,as shown in Fi 1 mav )ass throu h the side of the same b 1 v I 8 J asshown in Fig. 3, the internal portion of the pipe being turned upwardand extendingabove the liquid in the tank, and that portion of the pipeoutside the tank having a diaphragm or diaphragms, and a section orsections of nonconducting material, as described above.

A lightning-rod may be applied with advantage to the outlet-pipe.

I do not desire to claim, broadly, the combination of an oil-tank withan escape-pipe provided with wire-gauze diaphragms; but

I claim as my invention- The combination of the tank and its outletpipeB, provided with a diaphragm or diaphragms, a, of wire-gauze orperforated plate,

with a section or sections, 1), of non-conduct ing material fitted tothe top of the pipe, as set forth. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEWIS GRISCOM.

